Bell's Hate Crimes Bills Scuttled

Del. Dickie Bell’s legislation to expand Virginia’s hate crimes law to include police, firefighters and EMS personnel was tabled in a House Courts of Justice subcommittee earlier this week.

As a result, the legislation is effectively dead for the 2017 General Assembly session. The Criminal Law subcommittee voted to table the measure by voice vote, so no official tally by individual legislators was recorded.

“ It is a slap in the face to the people I had included in my bill,’’ Bell said of his bill's demise. He spoke to The News Virginian on Tuesday by phone.